John Downey: Hyde Park bombing suspect can be extradited over double murder charges

Hyde Park bomb suspect John Downey can be extradited from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland to face charges over the murder of two soldiers in 1972, a judge has ruled.

Downey, 67, whose trial for the IRA’s London bombing collapsed in controversy five years ago, is wanted by prosecutors in Northern Ireland over the 1972 murder of two Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldiers in Enniskillen.

Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly ruled on the extradition in the Dublin High Court on Friday.

The judge told the court that Downey had objected to the surrender on a number of grounds over his belief that “it would be oppressive to surrender him”.

But Ms Donnelly rejected all of his objections.

After granting the order for the surrender, Ms Justice Donnelly agreed to hear whether Downey’s legal team will lodge an appeal next Wednesday and has permitted him to remain on continuing bail.

Downey, from Co Donegal, who was detained in the Republic of Ireland last October under a European arrest warrant, has always denied any involvement in the Hyde Park attack.

Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service initiated extradition proceedings last year after determining it had sufficient evidence to charge him with the murders of Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston, 32, and Private James Eames, 33.